Edgar kling



E KLING GAR GOUPLING.

`(No Model.)

No. 479,371. Patented July 19, 1892.

WMM/eww Mmmm UNITED 4STATES OF SAME PATENT OFFICE.'

PLACE.

'CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,371, dated J' uly 19, 1892.

Application iiled March 30, 1892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR KLING, of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved car-coupler and draw-bar with a portion of a second coupling coupled thereto. Fig. 2V is a face view of the coupler, showing the coupling-pin-operating devices in dierent positions by the aidof dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a view of the coupler with top broken away, indicating the jaw-locking devices. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 44, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a detail view.

This invention is an improvement in carcouplings of the twin-jaw and link-and-pin types; and its object is to provide improved devices for manipulating the pin and for causing it to operate automatically in locking a link or the shank of the jaw and to lessen the danger of the jaws falling on the track or becoming uncoupled should Veither jaw or draw-bar break away.

The invention therefore consists in novel devices for shifting and adjusting the coupling-pin, in novel devices for upholding the pin until the shank of jaw has passedin rear thereof, and in certain other novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates a draw-bar of general ordinary construction used in twin-jaw couplings, having pin-openings a a for the passage of a coupling-pin B.

Pin-operating devices-O is a pull-rod passing through transverse openingsin the upper end of pin B or otherwise slidably connected thereto. O is a link hinged or pivoted to the end of rod O and used as a handle. D D are straps each pivotally connected at one end to the rod O at opposite sides of pin B and at the other end to a lug d on the top of draw-bar head, as indicated in Fig. 1, said Serial No. l127,000. (No model.)

lugs being as far apart as the points of connection of straps D to rod O. By this construction when rod O is pulled longitudinally the straps cause it to rise, thereby also lifting pin D, the rod slipping through the pin. (Indicated in Fig. 2.) The straps are of such length that when they reach a vertical position the pin is lifted out of engagement with the link or jaw-shank which may have been in the draw-bar mouth. By turning the straps a little to one side, so that they lean toward the pull end of the rod O, the pin will be upheld and will not couple and by pushing the rod inward the pin will drop. It will also drop by gravity when the rod is pushed so as to ineline the straps D D away from the pull end of rod O. The rod O may be operated by hand or by chains c, connected to the link or end thereof and carried to any point desired, as is obvious. This feature of raising the pin by means of a device movable transversely thereof and simultaneously vertically is one of the essential parts of my invention, and I do not confine myself to the precise construction shown and described, as various modifications of the device will be obvious to a mechanic and may be devised.

Jaw-locking devices-E designates thelockingjaw, resembling the ordinary lockingjaws, having a shank e pivoted at one side of the draw-bar mouth, as usual, so that the shank will enter the mouth of the draw-bar when it is coupled. This shank is adapted to swing past or in rear of the pin-openings, so as to be locked by the pin B when it is lowered. In order to prevent the pin dropping While the jaw is opened and uncoupled, however, I pivot a plate F on the upper side and end of shank e, which plate lies close to the roof of the draw-bar and is of such length that when the jaw is opened its rear end underlies the upper pin-opening a and will uphold the coupling-pin and prevent its falling. Then as the jaw turns inward in coupling the plate F moves back in the throat of the jaw, sliding under the end of pin until the shank and plate both pass in rear of pin, when the pin drops in front of shank and locks the jaw, as is evident. In order to guide the plate properly, I prefer to cast or attach a guide rib or flange A to the IOO roof of the draw-bar in rear of the pin-openings, as indicated in the drawings. In order to keep the jaw in locking position when uncoupled and to cause it to swing open when the pin is raised, I form a forwardlyproject ing lug G on the front end ot' the draw-bar below the shank and bevel the top of said lug downwardly, as indicated in Fig. 5. Then I make a recess g in the lower edge of the jaw opposed to said lug and adapted to receive the same when the jaw is coupled. The top of said recess is beveled downwardly, so as to engage the beveled top of lug G and ride up thereon when the jaw closes, so as to litt the jaw much as an ordinary lock-hinge operates. Consequently when the pin is lifted the jaw will by gravity ride down on the lug G, and in so doing swing open or to coupling position. The hinge-lug G3 of the jaw is of course loosely tted between the ears A3 of the draw-bar, so that the jaw may move up and down on the hinge-bolts in opening or closing. The jaw may be so formed that it can be turned back so much as to withdraw the shank and plate entirely from the mouth of the draw-bar and out of the way to allow1 an ordinary link to be coupled to the drawbar.

Safety catches- H designates an arm formed on or attached to the upper and inner edge of the jaw and inclining or bending toward the shank, as shown; so that when two such jaws are coupled together the said arms overreach the edges of the opposed jaw, as indicated in Fig. l, and should either jaw or its draw-bar break away from its fastenings while thus coupled it cannot fall from the interlocked jaw, as its arm I-I will catch the upper edge of the latter jaw and suspend the broken jaw therefrom. By this construction, which is simple, the danger of a jaw breaking and falling on the track is greatly lessened. A loop I may be pivotally suspended between lng G and another lug z on the horn of jaw, as indicated, for the purpose of catching broken coupling-jaws; but this latter construction Ido not claim herein.

The operations of the various parts are obvious from the descriptions thereof.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is

1. The combinationof the draw-bar and pin, the rod slidably connected to said bar, and the straps pivoted to said rod and to a suitable support, whereby when the rod is pulled longitudinally it is caused to rise vertically, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the draw-bar, the coupling-jaw, and the plate adapted to uphold the locking-pin until the jaw-shank passes in rear thereof, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the draw-bar, the coupling-pin, and the swinging jaw with the plate connected to the end of the jaw-shank and adapted to uphold the pin until the shank passes behind the pin-openings, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the draw-bar and the swinging jaw connected therewith with the coacting beveled lug and recess on said bar and jaw for causing said jaw to swing open, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the draw-bar having a forwardly-projecting downwardly-beveled lug on its front end beside the jaw and the swinging jaw having a beveled recess adapted to receive and engage said lug, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In combination witha draw-bar, a swinging jaw having an arm, as H, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR KLING.

Witnesses: v

T. F. MONTGOMERY, JNO. H. KLUMPP. 

